Saviour Of The Wastes
by WolfyYoung
Summary: The Lone Wanderer, Mirren McLeod, had begun her journey into the Wastelands to find her Father, James. Upon losing him, she must continue his work. She has helped so many people, but now her life is in danger from the mysterious man that she dared to play with fire with, and she must survive whilst staying the Saviour of the Wastes. Rated M for language and sexual suggestions.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello Children! This is my first Fallout Fanfic, so please bear with me. It is a slow start, but I promise it will pick up the pace in later chapters. I'm open to praise and criticism (as long as it's constructive). I hope you enjoy the first chapter of Saviour of The Wastes.**

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the things mentioned in my fanfic. They all belong to Bethesda. Except the story line. And Mirren. They belong to me. Please don't sue me. I'm a starving student.

_The Lone Wanderer, Mirren McLeod, has began her journey into the Wastelands to find her Father, James. She has slain Super Mutants, Raiders, Slavers, Deathclaws, Mirelurks and even the Enclave, but her worst enemy is someone a little closer to home, one with whom she played with fire and ended up burned. Now she is being chased down for playing with his heart and somewhat darker side, and must survive whilst living up to her title as Saviour of the Wastes._

Saviour of the Wastes

Chapter 1:

Bullets whizzed by her head as she ducked down behind a rock. Panting, she slammed back against the hot surface, a snarl leaving her lips. Damn bloody Mercs had ambushed her. She looked down at the Laser Pistol in her hand, reaching into her backpack to pull out another energy the case open, the old cell ejected out, a fresh cell taking it's place as the pistol snapped shut At that very moment, she heard the taunting voice of one of the Mercs.

"Come out come out wherever you are!" One of them said. She snarled again. She was outnumbered still, three to one.  
Her heart pounded with ardrenaline as she closed her eyes, catching her breath. The scorching sun beat down on her face, the hot surface of the rock burning her scalp. She wished to whatever God there was that she'd bought a damn cap...

"Come on!" She growled at herself.

"Where are you, you Scottish bitch? You can't hide yourself forever. We will find you!" One of them called. Her eyes snapped open at the slur, that bastard did NOT just call her a bitch.  
"You wanna play? Bring it on!" She cried, standing up and pivoting to face her assailants. Time seemed to freeze as she felt the familiar hiss of her pip-boy accessing V.A.T.S, a green haze covering her eyes, pinpointing each body part of the Mercs before her.  
One shot to the head of the first Merc, one to the head of the second, and her last two aimed at the legs of the third. With a smirk, time came back into motion, the zap of her Laser Pistol ringing out across the Wasteland. The first laser hit the Merc dead centre, in between his eyes. He fell down, lifeless. The second laser hit the next Merc in the eye, and he hit the deck, screaming in agony. The third received two shots to the knee, flooring him.  
She bolted over to the Merc screaming at the loss of his sight.  
"Pathetic wee shite! That'll teach ye tae call me a bitch again!" She snarled, holding her pistol to the side of his head and pulling the trigger. The smell of burning flesh reached her nostrils as the Merc went limp.

She turned her attention to the next Merc, who was trying to crawl away. She stormed over to him, and upon reaching him she grabbed him by the hair and turned him over. She knelt on his chest, hand still in his hair, forcing him to look at her.  
"This is the third party this week. Who sent you?!" She snarled at him. He just smirked. She pulled back her fist and punched him in the jaw. She heard an audible crack and watched as he spat out blood.  
"I won't ask you again. Who sent you?!" She demanded again. The Merc smiled.  
"Fly away, little song bird" Was all he said. She visibly paled. That bastard! How could he?  
"See you in Hell!" She snarled at the Merc, lifting her pistol to his head and pulling the trigger, he too went limp, a smirk still on his face. She began to rummage about his person, finding in his pocket a piece of paper. She unfolded it, and began to read.

_Gentlemen,_

_Hunt down the one named Mirren McLeod. Show her what we do to those who disobey Mr. Tenpenny._

_B_

Mirren scrunched the piece of paper up.  
That... Douchebag!  
She stuffed the piece of paper into her backpack. She searched the Merc more, pulling out some ammo. She stood, brushing the dust off her armour, and went to scavenge the other corpses, the whole time her blood was boiling.  
With her backpack full of ammo and meds, she turned on her heel and started back towards Megaton.  
The Scotswoman was pissed off, and that was bad news for Mr. Burke...

**A/N: First chapter done. Short, I know. But it was really to introduce Mirren and her story. Please read and review. I love reviews!**


	2. Chapter 2

Saviour Of The Wastes

**Hello again, readers! I do apologise for not updating straight away. Life got in the way of me writing the next instalment of this fanfic. Fear not, however, as this is the second chapter of Saviour of The Wastes!  
Enjoy!  
A/N: I don't own Fallout. Bethesda does. I only own the plot and Mirren. Don't sue me! .  
Warning: There are a fair few cuss words in this chapter, so if you don't like swearing, don't read it. Also, there are a couple of rather... heated moments. Nothing sexual, just... tense. Just a fair warning.**

Chapter 2:

Returning to Megaton with little incidence, Mirren stalked around the small town, looking for Simms. She soon spotted the seasoned man, doing his usual rounds of the town. Mirren began towards him.

"Simms!" She called. The town sheriff looked up, smiling when he saw the teen walk towards him.  
"Mirren, what can I do for you?" He asked as she reached him. He was taken aback when he saw the rage in her eyes.  
"How far is Tenpenny Towers from here?" She asked him. Simms raised an eyebrow.  
"Tenpenny Towers? Now why would you wanna go there?" He asked.  
"I need to deal with Burke. He's sending Mercs after me" Mirren replied. Simms shook his head.  
"And you wanna go straight to the lions den? You're crazy, kid. Just like your Dad" He said.

"Don't care. Tell me how far it is from here" Mirren said. Determination, mixed with anger shone in her eyes. Simms sighed.  
"It's Southwest of here. You can't miss it" He said. Mirren nodded once.

"Thanks" She said, before turning on her heel and heading up to the crumbling shack she called home. Simms watched her and shook his head.  
"That stubbornness is gonna get you killed one of these days, kid" He said, before returning to his job.

Mirren opened the shack door, and was greeted by the sound of Wadsworth.  
"It appears you are wounded, Madame. May I suggest seeking medical attention?" The robot advised.  
"I'm fine, Wadsworth, but thank you for your concern" Mirren said, closing the door and making her way up the stairs. The sound of Galaxy News Radio filled the shack with pre-war music, coming from the jukebox she purchased from Moira. She crossed the landing, towards the infirmary, another thing she'd bought from Moira. Rummaging through the first aid kit, she searched for a stimpack. Upon finding one, she made her way into her room, sitting on the edge of the bed and sticking the needle into her upper arm. The stimpack hissed as it released it's healing agent, and Mirren winced as the scrapes and grazes from her battles began to heal up. She just sat there, letting the stimpack do it's work. She sighed, rubbing her eyes. It had been nearly three weeks since she'd left the vault. Mere days since her Dad had...  
Tears welled up in her eyes.  
"Daddy" She whispered. It was almost too much for the teen to take. Thrown out of her life in the Vault, out of safety and comfort. No hardships, no fears or worries.  
Gone forever, just like her Dad. She blinked, sending the unfallen tears cascading down her cheeks from her stormy blue eyes. Brushing back the strands of light brown hair that had fallen out of place during her battle with the Mercs, she stood, stretching out her muscles. Wounds healed, she removed her armour, unclasping the pieces and settling them on the desk next to her bed. Stretching once again, she took of her shoes then settled on the bed, pulling the covers up and over her body. Tomorrow, she would head to Tenpenny Towers and deal with Burke.  
Hell hath no fury, after all, and by Hell was Burke going to feel her wrath when she found him...

Mirren woke with a groan. Light was shining through a hole in her bedroom wall.  
_'I really gotta get that fixed...'_ She thought to herself. Pulling her arm out of the tangle of bedsheets that covered her, she looked at her Pip-Boy. Clicking the screen along to the map, the time read 10.30am. Mirren groaned again, then dragged herself out of bed. Sitting on the edge of the lumpy mattress, she rubbed her eyes, wiping the sleep from them.

"Blah" She muttered, standing up, running a hand through her hair, hissing when she felt tangles in her hair. She opened the drawer of the desk, pulling out a brush she'd scavenged from an abandoned house in Minefield, after avoiding the pot shots from that asshole sniper who'd taken up residence there. She'd dealt with him easily enough. Wearing nothing but underpants and a vest, she trotted down the stairs and to the locker. Opening it, she pulled out a brahmin skin outfit and plain white t-shirt, before heading up the stairs again.  
"Good morning, Madame." Wadsworth said. Mirren smiled at him.

"Morning, Wadsworth" She replied, heading back into her room to get dressed for the day. Pulling on the slacks and top, she found her boots and slipped them on. She pulled the straps over her shoulders, then found her holster belt. Clipping it around her waist, she holstered her 10mm pistol. A precaution, really. From within her locker she pulled a small bag of caps, enough for a visit to The Brass Lantern for breakfast before heading up to say bye to Gob and Nova.

Pulling her boots on, she called back to Wadsworth:  
"Don't expect me back tonight. Make sure people stay out of here while I'm gone. Though I'll be back to pick up some stuff before I head out" and the response was "Yes, Madame".  
With a smile, Mirren headed out of the house, the door slamming behind her. It was hot for early morning, not an uncommon occurrence in the Wasteland. Smiling, she made her way down the ramp, towards the Brass Lantern.  
A smiling Jenny Stahl greeted her.  
"Hey Mirren. What can I get for you today?" She asked. Mirren smiled, sitting on a stool.  
"Brahmin steak and eggs please, Jenny. I'm heading out later" She said. Jenny nodded as Mirren reached into her cap bag and pulled out 40 caps, which she handed over to Jenny.  
"Where ya goin'?" Jenny asked. Mirren sighed, then looked at Jenny with a serious gaze.

"Burke's sending Mercs after me for disarming the bomb" She said.

"And you're going after him? Are you crazy, Mirren?" She asked. Mirren smirked.  
"Naw, just Scottish" She said. Jenny laughed and shook her head.  
"Do you want a nuka cola with that? 5 caps" Jenny said.  
"Sure, why not?" Mirren replied, handing over an extra five caps. Jenny took them, then busied about with making Mirren her breakfast.  
Mirren looked around, her eyes falling upon the house that Burke bought for himself whilst he was searching for someone to blow up Megaton. Mirren internally snarled, remembering the day he approached her very well... How she convinced him to not blow up the place she lived in. He must have heard that she'd deep-sixed the thing for good. That would explain the mercs, anyway.

She was gonna show him exactly why you did not fuck with the Scottish. She was shaken out of her daydream by Jenny plopping the plate of food and a luke warm nuka cola infront of her. Mirren smiled.  
"Thanks Jenny" She said, instantly tucking into her steak and eggs.

When she was done, she bid Jenny farewell and headed up to Moriarty's. A cloud hung over her head at the thought of rubbing shoulders with the likes of Jericho. A low snarl emitted from her mouth as she opened the door. She would be in, say goodbye to Gob and Nova, hopefully not for the last time, then bugger off to Tenpenny Towers to deal with Burke. That was it.

She stepped into the murky bar, the smell of booze, sweat and cigarette smoke hitting her nostrils. Her eyes scanned the bar, a scowl forming on her face when she spotted Jericho.

_'No good, self centered son of a...'_

"Mirren!" Came the voice of Lucy West, shaking Mirren out of her icy thoughts directed at Jericho. She turned to Lucy.  
"Hey Lucy. How's things?" She asked. By things, she meant Ian. Lucy smiled.  
"Things are going great. Ian's thinking of moving into Megaton" She said.  
"That's great news, Lucy" Mirren said. Lucy nodded.  
"I have you to thank, though. For helping him out of that place, that is" She said. Mirren shook her head.  
"Hey, don't worry about it" She said. Lucy smiled again. Mirren nodded, ignoring the glare from Jericho, and walked over to the bar. Gob was busying about, cleaning glasses.  
"Hey Gob" Mirren said. The quiet ghoul looked up and smiled instantly when he saw the pale-faced Scot.  
"Hey smoothskin. What can I get ya?" He asked. Mirren shook her head.  
"Nothing today, Gob. I was just stopping by to say goodbye. I'm heading out on an errand and I don't know how long I'll be gone for" She said. Gob's face fell.  
"Alright. You be careful, smoothskin. You're the only one I can talk to without fear of Moriarty kicking my ass" He said. Mirren reached out and placed a gentle hand on Gobs shoulder.  
"Hey, don't worry about me. I'm the "last, best, hope of humanity", remember?" She giggled, quoting Three Dogs nickname for her. Gob managed a smile.  
"Where's Nova?" Mirren asked, looking around for the woman.  
Gob pointed over to the corner where she'd first met Burke, to see Nova sitting in the lap of a rather well-dressed gentleman. Mirren's heart began to pound and she paled instantly. It couldn't be. Not here. No way.

Nova looked up and waved at Mirren. Mirren waved back slowly, and the well-dressed man, wearing a hat, looked up. Mirren felt her blood freeze in her veins and she clung onto the bar for dear life. Oh God.

The man smiled at her, and waved. The last thing she saw was his smirk, before she passed out on the floor, hearing Gob and Nova yell her name...  
Burke...

The first thing that Mirren registered when she awoke was the massive headache she had.

_'Ow...' _She thought.

"Ah, you're awake" Came the ever-cheerfully sarcastic voice of Doc Church. Mirren opened her eyes and whimpered.

"What happened?" She asked. Doc Church looked over at her.

"You passed out, that's what happened. Though you seem to be fine and you're not dying of anything, so, when you feel sure you can walk, you can get out of here and stop bothering me" He said. Mirren shot a glare at the Doc.  
"Your bedside manner really sucks, you know that?" She said in an accusatory manner. The Doc smirked.  
"So I've been told. Don't worry about paying me. The gentleman who brought you in covered that. Speaking of which, he gave me a letter to give to you" He said. Mirren turned a rather unsightly shade of sickly green. Doc Church huffed.

"You look like you're gonna hurl. Do me a favour and do it _out_side thank you very much. Mirren glared at him as he handed her the letter. She unfolded it, her hands shaking.

_My dear, sweet songbird._

_I must apologise for my unannounced visit. I did not realise that it would have such an adverse affect on you. Do forgive me, my love._

_Once you have recovered, please do me the honour of coming to my temporary abode. The house directly across from that bomb that you ever-so politely disarmed in my absence. We have much to discuss._

_Oh, and do not keep me waiting, my dear little songbird.  
I'd hate to have to come and get you._

-Burke.

Mirren gulped. She knew Burke, and she knew that pissing him off further was a _very_ bad idea. She stood, folding the letter and placing it in her pocket. Feeling for her gun, she immediately wished she'd carried a bigger gun. Had she known Burke was around, she'd have shot the head off the bastard with her plasma rifle.

"Thanks, Doc" She said as she made her way out of the clinic. Her only response from the Doc was "Yeah, yeah". She rolled her eyes. Standing still, she stared over at Burkes house, her heart pounding. She swallowed, closing her eyes.  
_'You are the saviour of the wastes, God damnit! You kill raiders, slavers, Hell, Super Mutants for _fun_! You are the last, best hope of humanity and a slimy git like Burke is _not_ going to intimidate you! And above all, you are fucking _Scottish! _Show that bastard why messing with you is the worst mistake he will ever make!' _She mentally gave herself a pep talk.  
Opening her eyes, a full-blown death glare on her face, she stormed down the ramp towards Burke's house, all-but snarling. Hackles raised as she approached his door, she walked up the ramp and hammered on it. She was going to show him that he could _not_ just waltz into her life and expect her to bend to his will. The OverSeer once described her as "insubordinate". Well, she was sure as Hell gonna show Burke how insubordinate she was.  
The door opened, and there stood Burke. Mirren fought the urge to turn around and run in the other direction. No. She would not be intimidated by him.

"Well, good evening my dear. It's good to see you up and about" Burke said. Mirren visibly bristled.

"You had better have a damn good reason for all the shit you've sent my way the past week, Burke, or so help me God..." Mirren growled. Burke grabbed her by the hand and pulled her into his home before she could protest, the door slamming behind her. She was up against a wall, her hands pinned over her head and Burke's hand over her mouth before she could even _think_ about screaming for help. Eyes wide with shock, she panted at having Burke so damn close to her, pressed up against her. Damn that man was fast.

"First of all, learn to address someone of a higher stature than you in an appropriate manner when they are trying to be nice to you, young lady.  
Second of all, do not come to me making threats about what you will or will not do if I do not explain myself. I do not need to explain myself to a tricksy little whore such as yourself" Burke snarled into her ear. Mirren struggled at the slur, trying to fight him off. He just smirked and stared her down.  
"Afraid, are you, Mirren? Afraid of what I may do to you?" He whispered, glancing at her over the rim of his glasses with his deep blue eyes. His velvety voice and stern gaze made her weak at the knees, but she would not give him the satisfaction of being afraid. She stared back at him defiantly, her stormy blues hard as iron. Burke just smirked.

"Now that I have your full attention, my dear, I am going to let you go. If you fight, or scream, I will end your pathetic little life and you will never see your Father. Do I make myself clear?" Mirren nodded. Burke removed his hand from her mouth first, warily, expecting her to scream. When she didn't, he let go of her arms.

"I won't be seeing my Dad anyway. Have you not been listening to GNR?" She spat, glaring at him.  
"I don't listen to such drivel" Burke said.

"My Dad is dead!" Mirren snapped, tears filling her eyes again. That made Burke stop.  
"He gave his life so that the Enclave could _never_ get their hands on the one thing that can save this God forsaken wasteland! He sacrificed himself to save everyone, including self-centered, stuck up bastards like you!" She growled. She was breathing heavily from her outburst, tears falling down her cheeks. Burke removed his glasses, not knowing what to say.  
"The only reason why I havn't offed myself is so I can continue what my Dad has been trying to do, and you sending those blasted Talon Mercs after me is _not_ helping! I'm trying to make the Wasteland a better place but I cannot do that if you can't stop being _butthurt_ long enough to let me do it!" She continued. Burke looked at her. Even he could show sympathy, and he did. But Mirren didn't trust him, not one bit.  
Afraid she was going to collapse again, she sat on the edge of his bed, head in her hands. She knew she shouldn't make herself be so vulnerable around him, but she was too damn tired and emotionally worn out to care. She eventually looked up at Burke, noting that he hadn't said anything since her outburst.

"What, no smart-ass comment? No snidey, sarcastic crap that usually pours out your silver-tongued mouth?" She spat, glaring at him still.

Burke couldn't help but notice how tired she looked. He could tell she'd been through a lot in the short time she'd been in the Wasteland.

"Mirren, I am sorry" He finally said.  
"Save your pathe- wha?" She asked, blinking at him. He looked at her, and she saw the sincerity of his words in his eyes, and that made her frown.  
She narrowed her eyes at him as he sat down. He looked at her.  
"I can see that you do not trust me" He said. Mirren gave him an incredolous look.  
"Naw, really?" She asked, sarcasm practically dripping off her words. Burke gave her a dark look.  
"Manners, Miss McLeod" He said. She quirked an eye-brow at him that practically screamed "fuck off".  
"Because I am feeling generous, I will do as you ask of me and stop sending my men after you" He said. Mirren glared at him suspicuously.  
"What's the catch, Burke?" She ground out. He smirked again.  
"Clever girl you are. I want you to take care of Tenpenny and those annoying elitest tennants of his" He said. Mirren stared at him. He couldn't be serious. He wanted _her_ to kill off his boss and the residents of Tenpenny Towers? Burke continued to smirk in that annoyingly attractive way of his. The man had oodles of charm and a silver-tongue to go with it. But Mirren wasn't falling for it.

"I want your word, Burke. Look me in the eye and swear on your life that there will be no consequences that come of this. And I want you to throw in some caps, else Simms will be hearing about your prior plans to kill everyone in this town" Mirren said. Burke visibly bristled at her request for him to pay her in exchange for keeping her quiet, but he nodded.  
"I swear that no harm will come to you as a result. No one will know, and I will give you 200 caps for your troubles" He ground out. Mirren held out her hand for him to shake. He gripped her hand, and they sealed the deal. Mirren stood.

"If that's all, Burke?" She asked. He too stood, putting his glasses back on.

"Of course, Miss McLeod. That is all, for now" He said. Mirren nodded once, and went to the door. However, before she could open it, she felt herself being dragged back into Burke's body, his arm around hers and his hand once again over her mouth.

"And one more thing, my dear, sweet songbird. Alert anyone to this little deal of ours, namely a bothersome Mayor, and all negotiations are off. And if I die, my men have strict instructions to continue to persue you. I will order them to tail you until you have completed the job I have assigned you, and they will be called off once you return to me here in Megaton. Is that clear?" He whispered into her ear. She nodded, and he released her, but not before swinging her around to face him, grabbing her chin and forcing her to look at him.  
"Now, be a good little songbird and fly away" He said, once again looking at her over the rim of his glasses. Her hard exterior faltered breifly under his gaze, long enough for Burke to see. He smirked, crushing his lips against her. Mirren froze in shock, her mind gone completley blank when she registered what he was doing. He pulled away, noting her wide-eyed look of shock, before letting her go. Mirren shook out of it, and with a look that would have killed Burke stone dead, she raised her hand and slapped him hard across the cheek.

"Don't you _ever _do that again, you sick pervert!" She snarled. Burke just smiled, and Mirren opened the door, storming out of his house. The door slammed shut, and she couldn't hear Burke's laughter coming from within.

**There you are, my lovelies. Chapter two up and running!**

**Please review. I do love reviews ^^**


	3. Chapter 3

Saviour of the Wastes

**Hello, dear readers! I'm back, and I come bearing an update for "Saviour of the Wastes" !  
Things were beginning to heat up in the last chapter, so stay tuned for this next chapter of "Saviour of the Wastes" !  
A/N: I do not own Fallout. Bethesda owns Fallout. I just own Mirren and the plot. Don't sue me! .**

Chapter 3:

Mirren stalked up to her house, ignoring the other residents of Megaton. How in the Hell did Burke expect her to kill every single damn resident of Tenpenny Towers? She opened the door of her house, storming in.  
"It's good to see you alive and well, Madame!" Wadsworth said. Mirren ignored him. She went straight to her locker and threw it open. She pulled out the stealth armour that she acquired from her quest in that damned simulation that the Outcasts had asked for her help with. She rarely used it. It was rare and she did not have the caps to get it repaired, but she would use it. She wanted to go unseen whilst in Tenpenny Towers. She leant her head against her locker, feeling the cool metal against her forehead.

What would her Dad think?  
Anger began to take over.  
"Doesn't fucking matter what he'd think. He's dead. Left me alone in this Godforsaken Hell hole!" She snarled, slamming the locker shut so suddenly that even Wadsworth cried out in shock.  
"Madame are you..."  
"I'm fine! Just peachy!" She snarled, storming past him and up the stairs. Once in her room, she stripped of her Brahmin skin outfit and the top, kicking the boots off. She pulled the skin-tight stealth armour over her skin, thankful for her lean frame. It fit like a glove. She fixed the helmet on, then set about picking a gun that wouldn't make her too obvious whilst sneaking around. She settled for her silenced 10mm, clipping it in it's holster around her waist. It wasn't powerful but it did the job. She was glad that her Pip-Boy loosened enough to allow her to slip the arm of the armour under it, then clipped it back in place. She could never remove it, but was thankful for the accommodating design. She raided her locker some more, pulling out 40 or so stimpaks, five Rad-Away sachets, two bottles of Rad-X, four Med-X syringes and two bottles of purified water and stuffing them into her back pack. She also stuck in some Blamco Mac 'n Cheese and Sugarbombs in case she got hungry. As a precaution, she threw in some extra ammo. She got the feeling she'd need it. Closing the back pack tight, she slung it on her back.

"Wadsworth, anyone comes in here while I'm gone, shoot them" She said.  
"Of course, Madame" The robot said, watching as she exited the house.

Stepping out into the cool night air, Mirren made her way towards the gates to the small town. They slid open, and Mirren shouted a thank you up to Stockholm, the elusive sentry that kept Megaton safe. Looking at her Pip-Boy, the marker indicating where Tenpenny Towers flashed, and she planned out a route. Crouching, she instantly disappeared, like a chameleon, and began on her way to Tenpenny Towers.  
_'Dad, please forgive me...'_

Less than 30 minutes later of Mirren sneaking along, and almost having a rather hairy run-in with a Deathclaw, she spotted Tenpenny Towers. Simms was right. You really couldn't miss it. It stuck out like a sore thumb against the barren Wasteland. Mirren sighed. All those people...  
Shaking her head, she continued to creep along, keeping an eye out for any enemies, namely Deathclaws.

As she approached the building, she heard an argument going on at the gates.  
"You can tell Tenpenny he can kiss my ass! We've got plenty of bottlecaps! Let me in, God damn it!" Came the voice of a rather pissed-off sounding ghoul.  
"Can't you tell the difference between me and a feral? I'll show you the god damn difference! You'll get yours! All of you!" He spat at the intercom, before turning on his heel and storming off. Standing up, Mirren chased after him.

"Hey! Wait up!" She called. The ghoul turned, glaring at her. She took off her helmet.  
"Piss off, smoothskin. I'm not in the mood." He snarled. Mirren glared.

"Now wait just a God damn minute! I heard you trying to get in there, and I can help" She said. The ghoul scoffed.

"And how exactly are you going to convince that bunch of elitist assholes to let us move in?" He asked. Mirren smirked.  
"Just tell me what you need to do. I can get you in" She said. The ghoul gave her the once over, sniffed, then looked back at her with his milky eyes.  
"That Gustavo fella has a key which can get us in through the generator room from the metro tunnels. Get us that key, and open the door. It's in the Courtyard of the building, to the left of the door." He said. Mirren nodded.

"Done" She said. The ghoul looked at her incredulously.  
"What have you got against them, smoothskin?" He asked suspiciously.  
"I hate selfish bastards like them" She said, before turning and running to the gate. She pressed the intercom.  
"How many times do I have to tell you, no God damn zombies!" Came an agitated voice.  
"Do you speak to all your guests like that?" Mirren asked.  
"Oh! Em, no. Sorry. I thought you were that zombie. Who are you?" The Guard on the other side of the gate asked.

"Mr. Burke sent me. I have a message for Mr. Tenpenny" She said. The guard "hmmm"ed.  
"Alright kid. Any funny business and I'll shoot you up" He said. The gate buzzed, then slid open. Mirren slid her helmet back on, and proceeded through the gate.  
"I'm chief Gustavo. And you are...?" He asked.

"Mr. Burke's songbird" She replied. Gustavo seemed to get what she meant.  
"Alright. Proceed" He said.

_'Gustavo, huh? That was the guy that the ghoul said had the key..." _Mirren thought to herself. She darted up to the door, then crouched, instantly disappearing. Slowly, she inched towards Gustavo, keeping her feet light on the ground. Closer and closer she got, until she finally saw a key dangling on his belt. She smirked, slowly reaching out and taking a hold of the key. Gently, she removed the key from his belt. Stifling a cry of success, Mirren quietly crept off, back towards the door into the Towers. Remembering the ghouls words, she bore left, seeing what appeared to be a staircase leading down to a door.

_'That must be the door. I sure as Hell hope it is'_

She crept down the stairs, moving slowly until she reached the door. Sliding the key into the lock, she almost audibly sighed in relief as she turned it, and the lock opened. Removing the key from the lock, she opened the door and stepped into the metro service tunnels. Closing the door behind her, she stood up.  
She heard the haunting moans of the feral ghouls and stopped, afraid that they were around the corner. She crept slowly, hand on her gun. Turning the corner, she drew her weapon, only to find the room empty.

"Hey, kid!" Came the voice of the ghoul from earlier. Through the window, she saw him- with some ferals.  
"You did it. Now, see that switch on the side there? Flick it. It will open the doors on this side of the tunnels. Meet me topside at the doors!" He said. Mirren nodded, flicking the switch. There was a beeping noise as the door unlocked, and a screech as it opened.  
There was no doubt in Mirrens mind that the residents would all be killed. That would be inevitable if ghouls were involved. She shook her head, then darted back through the tunnels and back up topside. She bolted back around the courtyard to the front door, where the ghoul was waiting.

"Good job, kid! I'll admit, I doubted ya at first, but you delivered. Here, put this on. You'll need it if you're going in there" He said, tossing her something. She caught it. It was a mask that resembled the face of a ghoul. She looked back up at the ghoul.

"Thanks. Hey, what's your name?" She asked.

"Roy. Roy Phillips" He said.

"Mirren McLeod" She replied.  
"I need to head back home, but thank you for the mask. I'm sure it'll come in useful" Mirren said. Roy nodded.  
"Thanks again, kid" He said. Mirren smiled, but before she left, she turned back to Roy.  
"Roy... Are they all dead?" She asked, almost solemnly. Roy cocked his head to the side slightly, then nodded.

"Mind if I, uh, get some proof?" She asked. Roy frowned, then nodded.

"Put that mask on, though" He said. Mirren removed her helmet, swinging around her back pack and opening it to place the helmet in it. She closed the bag and repositioned it on her back again. She pulled the mask down over her face. Roy smirked.

"Just like a ghoul. C'mon kid. Lets get you your proof" He said. Mirren followed Roy as he opened the doors. The sound of screams and gun fire reached Mirrens ears and she struggled to not throw up from the guilt. She saw the lifeless forms of the residents at the bottom of the stairs.  
"You alright kid?" Roy asked.

"Just peachy" She replied, and Roy laughed. He began to scavenge the bodies of the residents. He disappeared up the stairs, leaving Mirren with the ferals. One or two looked at her curiously, and she tried not to run off in the other direction.  
Roy soon returned.

"I'll just go get something from Mr. Tenpenny, and then you can be on your way" He said, handing her a pile of keys. Mirren took them, and Roy ran off towards the elevator. Mirren swung her back pack around, stuffing the keys into it, before closing it again and swinging it back around on her back. She sat on the floor and waited for Roy to return. A non-feral ghoul approached her. Or rather, a ghoul-ette.  
"You're the one who Roy said would let us in, aren't you?" She asked. Mirren nodded. The ghoulette smiled.

"Name's Bessie Lynn" She said.

"Mirren McLeod" Mirren replied.  
"Don't mind Roy. He's a big softie. And he's ever so thankful to you for helping us. I'm just sorry that we had to do it this way..." Bessie Lynn said. Mirren sighed.

"Yeah, I am too" She said. Bessie Lynn smiled, regardless. At that moment, the screams, and the gun fire came to a halt. Mirren looked up.

"It's over" Bessie Lynn said. Mirren still felt sick with guilt. Just then, Roy emerged from the elevator.

He walked over to Mirren, who stood.

"Here you go, smoothskin. Tenpenny's key, and the deed to the empty room up stairs" He said.

"Thank you, Roy" She said.

"No problem, smoothskin. Just remember that there's a place for you here if you ever want it. Call it a thanks" He said. Mirren nodded, waved to Bessie Lynn, before heading out the doors of the lobby, out to the gathering darkness. She removed the ghoul mask, and swung her back pack around once more to put the mask in, and take out her stealth helmet. She put the helmet back on, before closing the back pack tightly and swinging it back in place.  
She headed out the gates, not looking back.

"Halt!" She heard. Instantly she jumped, pulling out her gun, pointing it at whoever had called out. She saw Talon Mercs.

_'Fan-fucking-tastic this is...'_ She muttered to herself. The Mercs approached her.

"Who are you?" One asked. Mirren growled under her breath.

"Burke's songbird. You won't shoot me if you know what's good for you. Me and him had a deal. I kill the residents of Tenpenny Towers, he gets you lot off my back for good. Well, I did it. I killed the residents of Tenpenny Towers and I have proof" Mirren said. One of the mercs, who Mirren assumed was the leader, smirked.

"Well then, I'm certain we'll hear from Burke again soon, correct?" He asked.

"Yes, you will. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go back to Megaton and tell Burke that I've done his dirty work. Good day to you" Mirren said, before stalking off in the direction of Megaton, ignoring the laughs of the Mercs behind her.

Not too far into her journey, her Pip-Boy beeped, alerting her to danger. She immediately ducked down, scanning the area. She spotted a huge lumbering figure, not too far from where she was.  
"Aw shit" She muttered. She could see it's claws from where she was. Deathclaw.  
Turning, very, very slowly, Mirren made her escape. Creeping along the ground, she focused on staying very quiet. She really didn't want to deal with a Deathclaw when she only had her 10mm. It wouldn't even scratch the gigantic beast. Mirren tried to keep her breathing low and her heartbeat steady.  
_'Nice and easy, Mirren. Baby steps' _She thought to herself. She didn't feel her foot step on a brahmin bone until she heard the snap. Her eyes went wide, instantly filled with fear.  
"Oh, shit" She muttered when she heard the roar of the Deathclaw. She stood up, spinning around just in time to see the Deathclaw running towards her, and he was a little too close for comfort. She paled instantly when she saw the horns. It wasn't small fry. It was an alpha. She instantly turned and began to run as fast as she could. Her life depended on it. The alpha was more powerful and a lot faster than normal Deathclaws, and it wasn't long until Mirren felt the searing pain in her back as the Alpha's claws struck her. She cried out as she fell, scraping her face on the hard Wasteland ground.

"Ungh" She muttered, pushing herself up. She wasn't going to die. Not here, not now. Standing, she turned. Hearing the familiar hiss of V.A.T.S, time froze. She used all the AP, directing each shot into the head of the Deathclaw, knowing that the bullets wouldn't kill it, but she hoped it would at least slow it down. Coming out of V.A.T.S, the sound of her bullets hitting the Deathclaw square in the head rung through the barren Wasteland.  
She paled when the Deathclaw shook it off, snarled at her and took another swipe at her head. She ducked just in time, certain that the swipe would have taken her head off. She rolled, firing shots at the Deathclaw. It only served to piss him off further. He swiped again, catching her on the side of the arm, tearing her armour.  
"Fuck! Piss _off_!" She snarled at the Deathclaw. The Deathclaw backhanded her, sending her flying. She landed, hard, her vision turning blurry. The last thing she heard were shouts and the sounds of gunfire.

_'Ow...' _Was the only thing that passed through her head before she passed out.

_'Not again...'_

"Mirren. Mirren, wake up. Mirren!" Someone called. Mirrens eyes snapped wide open and she sat straight up.

"Deathclaw!" She cried. Hands steadied her.

"Mirren, calm down" Came the velvety voice of Burke. Mirren's breathing calmed down as she looked at him. He was looking at her without his glasses on, looking very concerned.  
"What... What happened? Where..." She asked, looking around. Burke gently took a hold of her face, cupping her cheeks in his hands.  
"Mirren, you're safe. My men found you out cold just outside of Tenpenny Towers. What happened?" He asked. Mirren stopped shaking. Memories came flooding back of her battle with the Deathclaw.

"Deathclaw. Big ass Deathclaw. An alpha male. It attacked me. I tried to avoid it, but it heard me and attacked. I... I tried to take it down... I- I thought I was dead..." She explained, shaking again. Burke moved his hands from her face to her shoulders, trying to calm her.  
"Mirren, it's alright. You're fine, you're alive" He said, looking her dead in the eye. Mirren looked back at him, her stormy blues filled with tears.  
"My men told me you'd done the job, Mirren. I believe I owe you caps. I also told my men to back off, as promised" Burke said, suddenly all business-like. Mirren looked at Burke incredulously. Here she was, bandaged up and most likely bruised to Hell from her run in with the Deathclaw, and Burke was acting like none of it had happened.

"You're unbelievable, you know that? I just got my sorry ass handed to me by a fucking _Deathclaw_ and all you can give a shit about is the fact that I did something that you should have gotten your stupid-ass _guard dogs_ should have done! I almost _died,_ Burke! Not that you would have given a shit. I'd already done what you'd asked of me and the way I see it is that me dying would have been fucking _perfect_ for you because you wouldn't have had to worry about me keeping my God damn mouth shut about you wanting to blow up Megaton!" She said, glaring daggers at Burke the whole time. She stopped when she saw the look Burke was giving her. She swallowed.  
_'There you go again with that mouth of yours. When the Hell are you going to __learn that not everyone is going to let you get away with that Scottish knack __of yours for picking fights?'_ She mentally scolded herself.  
In a second, Mirren was out of the bed and making her way to the door. Before she could reach for the door knob, Burke had her in his iron grip, and she was shoved against a wall, her back to it. He had her wrists pinned above her head, and was pinning her against the wall with his own body. Mirren's eyes were wide with shock. She should really stop underestimating this man. But even she had to admit that riling him up and seeing him snap in such a calm yet Dominating way gave her a thrill and made her weak at the knees.  
"Let me go or I'll scream" She snarled out. Burke smirked, his free hand snaking up to wrap around her throat. Mirren stilled instantly.  
"Oh, my dear, sweet little songbird. If you do that, you won't get to finish Daddy's work. Ever. And it would be such a shame to see such a... ah, a beautiful thing like you end up in an unadorned grave somewhere in the Wasteland" He purred in her ear.

"I already told you Burke. I have nothing to lose!" She growled, trying to sound defiant, but when he turned his head to look at her, his face so damn close, her defiance faltered, and she was suddenly glad he was pinning her in place, else she'd have swooned, she was sure of it.  
She could smell the whisky and stale cigarette smoke as his breath tickled her pale skin.

"Oh, you may not have anything to lose, my dear girl. But I would be most disappointed to be rid of the girl who stole my heart the very second I saw her. My little black widow turned song bird. I rather like having such a feisty thing like you around. It makes the pathetic husk of my existence almost worth carrying on with" He said. Smiling, he looked dead in her eyes again.

"And I do most enjoy the little sparring matches we have. It would be a terrible loss, and such is the reason as to why I have not ordered your death" He said. Mirren all but sputtered at his last sentence.

"Ordered my death... But... The bounty on my head, and..." She stuttered. Burke chuckled at the poor girls confusion.  
"My dear girl, I have a lot of enemies. The man you saw when your first walked into Moriarty's was merely a façade, an end to a means. I had not expected you to be so utterly clever and manage to fool an old man like me into changing his plans. You caught me off guard so to speak, and to prevent Tenpenny from delivering an even worse fate than Talon Mercenaries upon you, I had to make him, and others, think you and I were enemies. I had to get you to come running to me. I could not, however, risk you running into Tenpenny. He would most definitely have killed you on sight. So I came here in hopes that you were still here, in this insufferable cesspool you are so fond of" He finished. Mirren stood there, gawking at him. She was certain he could see the disbelief in her eyes. His free hand moved up to stroke her cheek, glad when she didn't flinch away.  
"B-B-Burke..." Mirren whispered, tears forming in her eyes. He let her go, pulling her into an embrace as she began to cry. It was too much, too soon. Mirren mentally scolded herself for allowing Burke to be so close to her, to let him even touch her when she'd sooner shoot a man for the same thing, but she was tired, and she was hurt both physically and emotionally. She wanted, no, needed comfort, and was willing to take it from anyone who showed the slightest bit of sympathy.  
Burke cradled her close to his chest as she cried.

"You're a bastard, Burke! A scaly, slimy son of a bitch and you use your silver tongue to get under the skin of anyone you want before discarding them when you're done with them!" Mirren cried through her tears, struggling to pull away from him. She pulled far enough away from him to look him dead in the eye.  
"You'd be right to think that I don't trust a _word_ of what you just told me, Burke. How can I trust _anything_ that comes out your mouth?!" She asked. Burke sighed.  
"I- I do not expect you to trust me, Mirren, after everything that has transpired between us. But surely, me keeping to my word is proof enough?" He asked. Mirren scoffed.  
"How do I know that you won't turn around and stab me in the back as soon as you've lulled me into a false sense of security, huh? How do I know that you won't betray me once you've gotten what you want from me?" She asked. Burke pulled her close again, gazing down at her with his piercing blue eyes. Mirren stared into them, really taking notice of them.  
"I can't make you trust me, Mirren. But I can ask you to give me a chance to prove that I will keep to my word and never allow any harm to come to you" He said. Mirren frowned. She wanted to trust him, but a niggly voice in the back of her head told her to be wary.  
"Fine. But if you screw up, Burke. That's it. I'll shoot you" She warned. Burke nodded once.  
"Do we have an accord?" He asked. Mirren sighed. She was nuts. Totally and completely bat-shit insane.

"Yes. We have an accord" She said. Burke smiled.

"Good" He said, before leaning down and capturing Mirrens lips with his own.

**A/N: Once again, I apologise for not bringing this to you sooner. A lot has transpired in the past month, and on the 19****th**** of December I'll be heading out to Sweden for three weeks. I will be bringing my laptop with me. I hope it gets fixed before it spazzes out again...  
I hope you enjoyed this chapter of Saviour of The Wastes. I do love reviews!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello my dear readers! Terribly sorry about the lack of updates. My laptop decided to give up and die on me, so for a long time I was without means to update my fan fiction. But worry not, I have returned with a brand new chapter!  
A/N: I do not own Fallout. Bethesda owns Fallout. I only own Mirren and the plotline.**

Saviour of The Wastes

Chapter 4:

Mirren left Burke's house, her hand stinging from how hard she'd slapped him.  
She was dressed in a shirt of his, as her stealth armor was damaged by her run in with the Deathclaw. She really, really hoped Moira could fix it. It was rare, and very very useful. It would suck if she had to stick to using freaking steathboys. She _hated_ stealthboys.  
She darted up the hill, hoping to God no one saw her.

A wolf whistle rung out and she inwardly cringed.  
"Hey Mirren!" She heard Jericho call out. She snarled and turned to glare at him.  
"Fuck you, Jericho!" She growled. He wandered up to her, having not been too far from her in the first place. She felt _very_ vulnerable around the sleazebag that was Jericho in nothing but her skivvies and one of Burke's shirts.  
"How about you slip into bed with me and out of that shirt of yours, hmm?" He said, a sleazy smile on his face. Mirren smiled in a sickly sweet manner.  
"How about you go impale yourself with the hand of a Deathclaw up your arse?" She said, her voice practically dripping with sarcasm. Jericho grabbed her, gathering her hair in his fist and yanking her head back. She cried out, trying to fight the ex-raider off.  
"Stop acting so innocent you filthy slut. I know you want me. I can practically _smell_ your want for me" He growled in her ear.  
"I'd sooner sleep with a Super Mutant than you, you piece of shit!" Mirren snarled. Jericho backhanded her across the cheek and she screeched. Suddenly, Jericho was being yanked away from her. Mirren fell to her knees, scraping them against the dirt in the process. She saw Burke, pulling Jericho down to the ground, landing a swift punch on Jericho's nose. Jericho screamed in agony. Burke yanked him to his feet.  
"Now, just what exactly where you planning to do to Miss McLeod, hmm? You weren't thinking of _raping_ her, were you? Because if you were, I'd have to report you to Simms, and I'm fairly certain he'd throw you back out into the Wasteland to fend for yourself. Or he'd shoot you. I personally favor the former punishment. Make you suffer the same fate you were about to bestow upon Miss McLeod here" Burke growled.  
"Just what in the Hell is going on here?" Came the stern voice of Lucas Simms.  
"Speak of the Devil. This slimy ex-Raider here was about to defile Miss McLeod against her will, Mr. Simms" Burke said. Lucas glared at Burke, then looked at Mirren, who was still on her knees. He knelt beside her.  
"Is this true? Was Jericho about to…" He didn't finish. Mirren nodded.  
"Burke saved me" She whispered. Simms nodded, then stood.  
"Alright. Jericho, you've had your last chance. Pack up your things and get out of my town. You've got until sunset. If you're not gone by then, I'll shoot you down" He said. Jericho's jaw dropped.  
"You can't be serious! Where the Hell am I supposed to go?!" He asked.  
"I don't care, Jericho. This isn't the first time you've attempted to rape someone, and I'm not going to let it slide. Not this time. I warned you the last time. Now I'm kicking you out. You should be glad. I could easily give Mirren here my gun and just walk away, let her shoot you seeings how she's the victim here. But I'm choosing to let you live. Sundown, or else" Simms warned, before turning on his heel and walking away. Burke let go of Jericho, before turning to Mirren. He helped her up, then by shooting one last glare at Jericho, led her up to her house.

An hour or so later, Mirren was sat on the sofa she'd purchased from Moira, wrapped in a blanket Burke had found. He had made her some Blamco Mac and Cheese, which she was now eating.  
Mirren watched as Burke wandered down the stairs again, walking over to where she sat. He sat down beside her, removing his hat and glasses.  
He ran a hand through his short brown hair, and looked at Mirren.  
"Are you alright?" He asked her. Mirren looked back at him almost sardonically.  
"I'm as alright as anyone can be after first being nearly killed by a Deathclaw and then later nearly being raped by an ex-Raider who has Gods only know how many diseases" She replied. Wadsworth hovered by the door, with orders to shoot anyone who came in without Mirren's permission. Ergo, Jericho.  
Burke sighed and rubbed his eyes.  
"You haven't had it easy, have you? Your Dad leaving, the Vault turning against you, losing your Father at the hands of the Enclave… I suppose I haven't exactly made it any easier for you. For that I am truly, truly sorry Mirren" He said. Mirren looked at him for a second, studying his features. He looked genuinely apologetic, though not looking at her.  
Her stormy blues softened for a fraction of a second, but instantly hardened again. No. She would _not_ show Burke a –what was that phrase he was so fond of? Oh yes, _modicum _of emotion. Whatever the Hell that meant. She inwardly snorted.  
She finished up her mac and cheese, placing the plate on the table in front of her. She brushed back her hair, sighing.  
There was an awkward silence between her and Burke. Neither knew what to say.  
Without meaning to, they both looked at one another at the same time. For the first time, Burke looked tired. Genuinely tired and… Upset? Disappointed? In what? Himself?  
Mirren softened her gaze. What if he was genuinely sorry for all the crap he had put her through? Was she willing to let someone like Burke into her life?  
What on Earth would her Dad think? He'd always voiced his disapproval at the mention of her wanting a boyfriend. Though no thanks to the rules in the Vault, Mirren had never even _kissed_ a boy. Though her Dad _had_ given her "the talk" when she was 16. That had been awkward. She sighed audibly. Burke was no boy. He was a man. Though how old he was, he'd never told her. She guessed somewhere near the age of her own Dad. Gods above, what was she thinking?!  
"How old are you?" She blurted out without thinking. Burke looked at her in surprise.  
"Pardon?" He asked. Swallowing, Mirren looked back at him.  
"How old are you?" She repeated.  
"Not that it's any of your business, I'm 37" He replied. Mirren nodded slowly. Okay, so younger than her Dad. Just.  
"And may I ask, Miss McLeod, and do forgive me for being rude, how old you are?" He asked. She looked at him shyly.  
"I'm 21". God she sounded pathetic. Burke smiled.  
"You're young yet, Mirren. Tell me, does your knowledge of my age change how you perceive me?" He asked. She frowned.  
"How do you mean?" She asked.  
"I mean, do you find me… Too old?" He asked.  
Mirren was stumped. Genuinely stumped. Of course, he was old enough to be her Dad, kinda. In her mind it was odd. Barr Maggie and Harden, she was the youngest in the whole town. Even Billy was older than her.  
She looked back at Burke.  
"No. I don't" She said. She could see Burke struggling to not smile at her reply.  
"That's good to know" He said. They just looked at one another. Mirren broke it by looking at her Pip Boy. It was late.  
"Well, I'm going to go to bed. You're welcome to stay if you want. Except you'll have to sleep on the couch" She said. Burke nodded.  
"I think I shall. Good night, Mirren. Try to sleep well" He said. Mirren smiled.  
"You too, Burke" She said. She hesitated, pondering giving him a kiss on the cheek for saving her from Jericho. She hadn't really thanked him.  
She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. The look on his face was priceless. His eyes had widened and… was that a blush creeping across his cheeks? Mirren held back a giggle.  
"Thank you… You know. For saving me earlier" She said. Burke looked at her and smiled.  
"You're welcome, Mirren" He said. She stood up, and with one last smile at Burke, made her way up the stairs. She entered her room, closing the door behind her. She leaned up against it, brushing stray strands of hair out of her face. Letting out a sigh, she shook her head. She threw the blanket onto her bed, before moving over to it and climbing under the covers. She realized, she still hadn't taken off Burke's shirt. She decided to keep it on.  
She looked at her Pip Boy, pressing the button until she found what she was looking for, under "notes".  
A picture of her and her Dad, when she was 10. Her with the BB Gun he had given her for her birthday. She felt tears prick at the corner of her eyes. Gods how she missed him. The only family she had left. Gone. She was all alone in this God forsaken place, living a pathetic excuse for an existence. How she hadn't turned to alcoholism or drugs yet she didn't know. Maybe it was the voice of her Dad telling her to be strong, that he loved her every time she even thought of doing it.  
She let out an audible sob, stifling it with her blankets. No. She had cried enough. It was time she tried to move on, finish what her Dad had started. It was her responsibility and hers alone to change the Wasteland, for the better.  
She closed her eyes, falling into a restless sleep, dreaming of a man whose face melted away before her eyes as he slipped down the glass separating them, a loud repetitive ticking in her ears and voice in her head telling her to run….

**And that is Chapter Four done.  
Once again, apologies for the stupidly long wait.  
I hope you enjoyed it ^^**


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